MU Health Care has earned initial accreditation for a neurologic physical therapy residency program from the American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education (ABPTRFE) and is one of two such programs in the state of Missouri.
The residency program allows recent physical therapy graduates to gain one-on-one mentorship as they specialize in how to deliver evidenced based practice for patients dealing with issues such as stroke, Parkinson’s disease, spinal cord injuries and other neurologic conditions. The training is designed to accelerate the residents’ learning and prepare them to sit for the board-certification in neurologic physical therapy.
“The year-long residency includes inpatient rotations at University Hospital in neurosciences, acute care surgery, an outpatient rotation at Mizzou Therapy’s neurological rehabilitation clinic and an inpatient rotation at Rusk Rehabilitation,” said Lindsay Holland, program director. “Residents spend most of their time seeing patients but also engage in research and educational activities.”
MU Health Care is the program’s sponsor in collaboration with the University of Missouri’s School of Health Professions. Residency education involves not only training in clinical care, but residents gain leadership and educational skills to advance and elevate future practice in neurological physical therapy. The program’s initial accreditation became official in June.
“This physical therapy residency will lay the groundwork for future programs going forward,” Holland said. “We’re proud to be one of just 67 physical therapy residency programs nationwide.”
The first two residents selected for the program’s initial cohort last July plan to remain at MU Health Care when their residency ends. Two additional residents joined the program July 11.
